Gutter system having a gutter, bracket, and cover, and method of installing the gutter system

Abstract

A gutter system having a gutter, a plurality of brackets, and a cover. The plurality of brackets comprise a support portion and a connector portion for operatively coupling the bracket to the gutter and the cover. The support portion comprises a cover support portion that is operatively coupled to a contoured nose of the cover and a gutter support portion that is operatively coupled to a lip of the gutter. The connector portion comprises a gutter hanger portion that is configured to receive a portion of a rear wall of the gutter and a cover engaging portion that is configured to receive a portion of the cover. The cover comprises a plurality of louvers having one or more louver arms that extend towards an interior of the gutter when the cover is operatively coupled to the gutter.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A gutter system, wherein the system comprises:
 a gutter, wherein the gutter comprises:
 a rear wall; 
 a bottom wall operatively coupled to the rear wall; 
 a front wall operatively coupled to the bottom wall; and 
 a gutter lip operatively coupled to the front wall; 
 
 a plurality of brackets at least partially located within the gutter, wherein each of the plurality of brackets comprise:
 a support portion operatively coupled to the gutter lip of the gutter, wherein the support portion comprises:
 a rear wall projection; and 
 a cover support portion forming a louver recess; 
 
 a connector portion operatively coupled to the support portion, wherein the connector portion comprises:
 a cover engaging portion; and 
 a connector projection aperture; 
 
 wherein the connector portion is operatively coupled to the support portion by inserting the rear wall projection through the connector projection aperture and rotating the connector portion with respect to the support portion to lock the connector portion in place; and 
 
 a cover comprising a first cover end, a second cover end, and an intermediate portion between the first cover end and the second cover end, wherein the intermediate portion comprises a plurality of louvers, and the second cover end comprises a second end cover projection; 
 wherein the cover is operatively coupled to the plurality of brackets through at least the cover engaging portion extending around the second end cover projection; and 
 wherein the louver recess receives a portion of one or more louvers of the plurality of louvers, and a surface of the cover support portion within the louver recess is configured to support at least a portion of the one or more louvers of the cover. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of brackets are operatively coupled to the gutter and the cover is operatively coupled to the plurality of brackets before the plurality of brackets are operatively coupled to a structure. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the support portion further comprises:
 a gutter support portion operatively coupled to the gutter lip of the gutter. 
 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the support portion comprises a support joint, and the connector portion comprises a connector joint, and wherein a fastener operatively couples the connector portion to the support portion through the support joint and the connector joint. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the connector portion is made from aluminum, and the support portion is made from plastic. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the gutter further comprises:
 a protrusion extending from the front wall or the bottom wall along at least a portion of a length of the gutter, wherein the protrusion forms a surface tension break configured to interrupt surface tension of water. 
 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of louvers extend perpendicular to the first cover end and the second cover end. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of brackets comprise:
 a single fastener cavity, wherein the plurality of brackets are operatively coupled to a structure using a single fastener extending through the single fastener cavity. 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of brackets comprise:
 a cover receiving surface, wherein the cover receiving surface is a concave receiving surface that receives a first end cover projection. 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first cover end of the cover comprises a contoured nose that receives a nose support of the cover support portion of the support portion of the plurality of brackets. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of louvers have one or more louver arms that extend towards the gutter when the cover is operatively coupled to the plurality of brackets. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first cover end of the cover comprises a contoured nose that receives a nose support of the cover support portion of the support portion of the plurality of brackets and a first end cover projection having a concave projection surface that is received by a concave receiving surface of the plurality of brackets. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one end cap, wherein the at least one end cap comprises:
 a first portion, wherein the first portion is configured to be operatively coupled to the gutter; and 
 a second portion configured to be operatively coupled to the first portion from either side of the first portion for use on either end of the gutter, wherein the second portion is removeable when installed for accessing an interior of the gutter by rotating the second portion with respect to the first portion. 
 
 
     
     
       14. A method of installing a gutter system, the method comprising:
 assembling a plurality of brackets to a gutter, wherein the gutter comprises a rear wall, a bottom wall operatively coupled to the rear wall, a front wall operatively coupled to the bottom wall, and a gutter lip operatively coupled to the front wall, wherein the plurality of brackets comprise:
 a support portion operatively coupled to the gutter lip of the gutter, wherein the support portion comprises:
 a rear wall projection; and 
 a cover support portion forming a louver recess; 
 
 a connector portion operatively coupled to the support portion, wherein the connector portion comprises:
 a cover engaging portion; and 
 a connector projection aperture; 
 wherein the connector portion is operatively coupled to the support portion by inserting the rear wall projection through the connector projection aperture and rotating the connector portion with respect to the support portion to lock the connector portion in place; and 
 
 
 assembling a cover to the plurality of brackets, wherein the cover comprises a first cover end, a second cover end, and an intermediate portion between the first cover end and the second cover end, wherein the intermediate portion comprises a plurality of louvers and the second cover end comprises a second end cover projection, and wherein assembling the cover to the plurality of brackets comprises:
 assembling the first cover end of the cover around the cover support portion of the support portion of the plurality of brackets; 
 assembling at least a portion of one or more louvers of the plurality of louvers of the cover within the louver recess that is configured to support at least a portion of the one or more louvers of the cover; and 
 assembling the cover engaging portion of the connector portion around the second end cover projection; and 
 
 lifting the gutter system for installation to a structure; and 
 fastening the plurality of brackets to the structure using one or more fasteners through the plurality of brackets. 
 
     
     
       15. A gutter system, wherein the system comprises:
 a gutter, wherein the gutter comprises:
 a rear wall; 
 a bottom wall operatively coupled to the rear wall; 
 a front wall operatively coupled to the bottom wall; and 
 a gutter lip operatively coupled to the front wall; 
 
 a plurality of brackets at least partially located within the gutter, wherein each of the plurality of brackets comprise:
 a support portion operatively coupled to the gutter lip of the gutter, wherein the support portion comprises:
 a support joint; and 
 a cover support portion forming a louver recess; 
 
 a connector portion operatively coupled to the support portion, wherein the connector portion comprises:
 a cover engaging portion; and 
 a connector joint; 
 wherein a fastener operatively couples the connector portion to the support portion through the support joint and the connector joint; and 
 
 
 a cover comprising a first cover end, a second cover end, and an intermediate portion between the first cover end and the second cover end, wherein the intermediate portion comprises a plurality of louvers, and the second cover end comprises a second end cover projection; 
 wherein the cover is operatively coupled to the plurality of brackets through at least the cover engaging portion extending around the second end cover projection; and 
 wherein the louver recess receives a portion of one or more louvers of the plurality of louvers, and a surface of the cover support portion within the louver recess is configured to support at least a portion of the one or more louvers of the cover. 
 
     
     
       16. A gutter system, wherein the system comprises:
 a gutter, wherein the gutter comprises:
 a rear wall; 
 a bottom wall operatively coupled to the rear wall; 
 a front wall operatively coupled to the bottom wall; and 
 a gutter lip operatively coupled to the front wall; 
 
 a plurality of brackets at least partially located within the gutter, wherein each of the plurality of brackets comprise:
 a support portion operatively coupled to the gutter lip of the gutter, wherein the support portion comprises:
 a concave receiving surface; 
 a nose support; and 
 a cover support portion forming a louver recess; 
 
 
 a cover comprising:
 a first cover end comprising:
 a first end cover projection having a concave projection surface that is received by the concave receiving surface of the support portion; 
 a contoured nose that receives the nose support of the cover support portion; 
 
 a second cover end; and 
 an intermediate portion between the first cover end and the second cover end, wherein the intermediate portion comprises a plurality of louvers; and 
 
 wherein the louver recess receives a portion of one or more louvers of the plurality of louvers, and a surface of the cover support portion within the louver recess is configured to support at least a portion of the one or more louvers of the cover.